The nation is coming to terms with the internet maxim "If you aren't paying, you are the product" becoming true of WhatsApp, which will start sharing (more of) our metadata (explainer here) come February. People are migrating en masse to more secure apps. Personally though, I am becoming inclined towards a less secure, less reliable and paid network. Why? For the romance of it.
I am of course referring to good old snail mail. Is it convenient? Mumbai has postboxes generously and irregularly scattered around. Are they well used? Well, there is a tea-shop set up in front of the one next to Colaba Post Office, so draw your conclusions from that. All the more reason to support it.
Of course, it takes a while to reach, but I think for longer and more honest messages it's worth being free from the shackles of blue ticks and last seens. Little hand-drawn figures communicate a bit more than emojis, and I like taking a moment to decide which person will like which postcard best. And as someone who stresses out over how to word an email, take my word that this is somehow more natural! Stream-of-consciousness writing and signing off with "Love" are allowed and encouraged.
All this is to say if you want me to round the tea-shop and send you something, drop me your address! (I'm not sure if I'm even getting incoming post, so I'll let you know about that). Or just take a walk and buy some stamps of different denominations. It's a nice feeling.
